28/1/2007 Vice Squad, Skintight Jaguars & Love and a .45

Subject	Vice Squad, Skintight Jaguars & Love and a .45
PostedDate	1/28/2007
	It's two years since Vice Squad played a London gig - ironic since it is their home town. This may well be the reason the Underworld was somewhat less than full - people have short memories and soon find other bands to go and see... First on tonight's bill was Love and a .45 - a North London based female fronted punk outfit. Their sound is pretty basic - just a singer backed by a single guitar, bass and drums. Still, it worked pretty well for the Ramones - or Vice Squad for that matter. The thing is, the Ramones had a great understanding of that almost forgotten thing in modern rock music - a great pop tune. To be fair, Love And A .45 threw everything into their performance, but at this early stage in their career they haven't yet penned any really memorable tunes. That said, singer Kate is dead sexy and very good at fronting a band. She's not the greatest singer, but she's very good at holding your attention and looks like she's having a great time. The rest of the band play well enough, and sound like they mean it. It will be interesting to see how they have progressed in a year's time. Next up is The Ruined. Their US style punk with an emo tinge (and fringe) from their frontman didn't do anything for me at all. They were pretty young and seemed like a bit of a 'school band' - maybe it's the first time any of them have been in a band? Everyone's got to start somewhere I suppose. It wasn't till the last song in their set 'Death Is A Lady' that I heard what I though was a memorable song. They seemed to have a few friends and fans in the crowd though, and I guess they aren't too bad in their chosen genre.  Personally, I wouldn't cross the street to see 'em again though. Skintight Jaguars certainly upped the ante - theirs was by far the most rock 'n' roll set so far this evening. Unlike the previous act who looked a mess, this lot look the part - and they act it too. This is a different lineup of the band that impressed me a year or so ago when I heard them on Bruce Dickenson's 6music show. The only time I have seen the band before was that old lineup at Bar Monsta (or G-Lounge as it was then) about a year ago. The fiery guitarist constantly throwing out fierce and widdley lead lines has gone and now the band have a more punky and riff based edge. Personally, I think there is something missing now and they need to find some middle ground between the old and new versions of the band. None of the songs tonight really grabbed me, but they put on a good show - without it seeming as contrived as some of the other bands on the local scene. Bloody great name for a band too - it just oozes rock 'n' roll! Vice Squad have drawn a mixture of old school 80's style punks, young punks, and shaven headed tattooed hard rockers to the Underworld. Beki Bondage is the only original member of the modern reformed version of the band - a bunch of seasoned pros who is has to be said play their instruments to a far higher standard than the old band did. Although quite a few of a old 'classics' from the first couple of Vice Squad albums back in the early 80's are played by the current lineup, this is a punk band only in name and lyrical content these days - this is a metal band! Guitarist Paul Rooney (Beki's bandmate back from their days in The Bombshells) now looks more like a refugee from Pantera - or Pirates Of The Caribean! He's a bit of a character and plays excellently though, while gurning 'metal' faces for the cameras. Plenty of songs from the band's more recent albums are in the set - new album 'Defiant' being featured as you would expect. Beki introduces one song from that album as being "the ultimate symbol of defiance - Spitfire!" - that certainly strikes a major chord with me. The hard rock leanings of the current version of Vice Squad are reinforced when they close the show with their only cover of the night - 'Ace Of Spades'. The band's new drummer Kev Taylor is particularly impressive on this final song as he thunders away at the back. I hope the band don't leave it another two years before they play in their home town again...